BEAT
by Lavitrail
Summary: Inside the raining city of Amegakure, people go about their day to day lives. Rainy days, heavy traffic, and the occasional murder of an Akatsuki traitor. Kakuzu, the best heart surgeon in the city, has been doing just that. Going about his days. Beat by beat. Until another beat somehow weaved itself in. [KakuSaku, KakuzuxSakura, more info inside!]
1. Session 1

Pairing: KakuSaku (KakuzuxSakura) (Age 37 and 25 respectively) (Of course I'd choose one of the rarest crack!pairs…)

Universe: Modern AU

Synopsis: Inside the raining city of Amegakure, people go about their day to day lives. Rainy days, heavy traffic, and the occasional murder of an Akatsuki traitor – indeed, things have been going quite normal. Kakuzu, the best heart surgeon in the city, has been doing just that. Going about his days as normal. Beat by beat. Until another beat somehow weaved itself in.

Rating: M for Mature Themes, Violence, and Gore

This is my first FanFic in quite a while, so please let me know what you think! I'm still trying to get a feel of the characters again, so be patient with me as I step back into place.

Feedback and concerns are appreciated! Haters are deleted and blocked!

* * *

_Cold._

That was the first thing that came to mind.

In this city, colored by shades of grey, rain had occurred much too often to be considered normal to outsiders. Yet, to those who lived and breathed in these streets, it was home. Every person made a habit of having at least one or two umbrellas on hand – the chance of rain was more often absolute than not. So, in its own way, there was color splotched within the grey. Yellows and blues, sometimes even elaborate patterns, decorated the streets like flowers flourishing to meet the rain.

A cluster of people waited at the crosswalk, their umbrellas bumping against one another every now and again as they shifted. Impatient. It was in the early morning, during the time where every busybody in the city raced to their jobs. From the highest paid salaryman to the smallest retail associate, they all desperately tried to rush ahead of one another.

Within that cluster was a peculiar individual. He exhaled slowly, the sound of exasperation muffled behind the black surgical mask. The hood of his long coat hung over his head, casting a shadow over his green eyes – dulled with boredom and irritation – and kept him dry. If it wasn't his looks and demeanor that made him the odd one of the flock, it was his stature. He was tall, around six foot, which had him easily dwarfing those around him. His body build was, by no means, lanky but seemed quite built from what could be determined with his outerwear. To say that he was a little intimidating would be an amazing understatement.

The crosswalk sign flashed green and, like a wave, the crowd made its way across the street. Hurried steps were outpaced by long strides, the hooded man making his way ahead of the pack. The stroll down the streets were just the same, left and right. Shoving past people, ignoring those that asked for spare change or preach about the environment. They were all met with the same result; a hard, quiet stare that would make the strongest man cower.

Ten minutes had passed, and he found himself walking up the steps to the local hospital. As he sought refuge beneath the awning, he rid himself of the coat, shaking out the still dripping water before he entered. Without the outerwear to obscure his build, it was revealed that he was nicely dressed, though plain and professional; black dress shirt, black slacks, nothing out of the ordinary sans the surgical mask. Dark hair, which previously brushed against his shoulders, was being pulled up into a mid-high ponytail.

"You're early, Dr. Kakuzu." Came the startled voice of a woman.

His eyes drifted to the reception desk where the secretary observed safely. The woman flinched under his gaze, instinctively holding up an empty clipboard as though to shield herself. Swallowing, she stuttered out her next words.

"The new girl won't be arriving until another fifth teen minutes or so—"

"Phone me when she arrives."

The order was curt, spoken in a rumbling baritone. It elicited a terrified squeak and a quickly spoken 'yes, sir' as he turned and made way down the hall.

As he walked, his eyes took a gander at his surroundings. The same white walls. Same coworkers that performed beneath him. The only slight variation were the patients that would be in tow. Wheelchairs, stretchers. From handicaps to the sickly. Faces changed, but the symptoms did not. Despite what people may think, it was quite monotonous. Some would find the doctor or nurse profession exciting; an emergency every other day, meeting different people with different cases. Yet, he begged to differ.

When you've been at it for a while, even the most exciting of incidents became rinse and repeat. A man is suffering from shrapnel; so you put him under and pick out the pieces. A woman is over intoxicated; so you prepare the procedure to detox her. A young girl is suffering from an asthma attack; so you push the idiots out of the way and perform CPR properly before they get a chance to crush her ribcage. A boy needs a heart transplant; so they turn to their top cardiovascular surgeon.

That surgeon was Kakuzu.

A heavy sigh raked through him as he stopped in front of his office door, thumb and index finger pinching the bridge of his nose. Years of little sleep shadowed his eyes, subtle lines from stress creasing his features. The surgeon had gotten used to the constant day to days. He checked in, fixed whatever needed to be fixed, and checked out – ignoring all off the words of praise and admiration. Such positivity would be gone the next day and everyone would be cowering under his shadow. Not that he cared, he preferred it this way. There was no need to be lavished in attention, put in the constant spotlight. As long as he came in and got paid, that was enough.

"Good evening, Kakuzu."

The door had not been opened even halfway when he was addressed. He turned slightly, watching a younger man approach him. The other was short with a fair complexion, which contrasted greatly with his messy, red hair. Despite how young he looked, his hazel eyes spoke years of wisdom and knowledge. And an aggravating amount of smugness.

"Sasori." He regarded him roughly, opening the door the rest of the way.

Akasuna Sasori was a prodigy of sorts, having enrolled at a young age with near perfect grades and scores. Soon after his graduation, he had become a Forensic Toxicologist. Due to this, the surgeon had come to expect visits from Sasori quite often – whether it be inquiries, collecting samples, or simply to say 'hello'. They weren't the best of friends, but they tolerated each other well enough to have civil conversation.

"What are you here for this time?" Kakuzu questioned, inviting the toxicologist into his office with a simple wave of his hand.

The room was as plain as the rest of the hospital. White walls, white floors. Sleek furniture, with the complimentary plant settled in the corner of the room. Sasori glanced to the stack of papers and files on the desk, musing how meticulously organized they were. It was just like the elder, to make sure every single detail was in its proper place. They were the same in that respect, as their specific expertise required no mistakes. Quite a bit of pressure, one that began to show on Kakuzu over the years, and the redhead could only hope age was merciful and delayed his own stress marks.

"The usual. Rumors say that a mistress poisoned her lover right in the middle of a family diner." Sasori replied easily, making himself home in one of the armchairs. The surgeon rolled his eyes. He didn't remember offering him a seat.

"Isn't that sort of information supposed to be classified?"

"It's rumor, not fact."

"And what do you think about that rumor?"

"Bullshit."

Kakuzu scoffed and settled into his own seat, leaving his drying coat draped over the back of his chair. He picked through the files that were left on his desk. Tachibana; check-up at 11, discussing heart transplant match-ups. Suzuki; follow-up at 2, assessing post-surgery results. Honda; appointment at 5, heart transplant. He sighed – tonight was going to be a long night.

"What part about it is bullshit?" He mused, lingering on a specific file.

"About ninety percent of it," Sasori huffed, his arms crossed over his chest. "A vengeful mistress lied to and thrown under the bus. Judging by acquaintances, she was the emotional sort. Love over logic. Do you think she would be collected enough to think of the whole process of gaining the poison, tracking him to the diner, and tainting his food without alerting him?"

There was a grunt, "I'm guessing not."

"Exactly. She would more likely commit a crime of passion."

"So dramatic soap opera knife shit."

"Mhm." The redhead nodded, leaning his cheek against his knuckles. Kakuzu sneered; the kid was getting comfortable, wasn't he.

"_Rumor_ has it that she was framed." Sasori made sure to add emphasis on 'rumor', as though it didn't count as leaking sensitive speculation to the public. Either way, Sasori didn't seem to care for it. He, as Kakuzu observed, liked to hear himself talk and boast about how clever he was. While it was irritating when drawn out, and sometimes the surgeon would tune him out, at least it kept the redhead from getting on anyone else's nerves. The fact that the toxicologist showed the surgeon respect is the only thing from getting him kicked out of his presence.

"Sounds great."

"It's absolutely fantastic, really. So—"

A ring from the office phone had interrupted the redhead, thankfully. Breathing out another sigh, Kakuzu picked up the phone and answered with a gruff 'hello'. Sasori watched the expressions that flitted across the older man's eyes; exasperation, irritation, then acceptance. The surgeon's little own Three Stages of Grief. Suppressing a chuckle, Sasori let his eyes wander away. No doubt whoever was on the other line was a stuttering mess, which forced Kakuzu to be patient and use all the restraint he had to not bark at them.

"Bring her in, then." The call ended with a 'clack'. "Alright, get out."

"Excuse me."

The surgeon stood from his seat and grabbed Sasori by the back of his collar. His strength easily lifted the smaller male from the chair and began to drag him towards the door. With a fit of irritation, more suitable for a cat, he squirmed and smacked at Kakuzu's arm.

"You brute – this sort of manhandling is completely unnecessary!"

"I'm not willing to let your slow ass walk yourself."

"And why not?"

"You'd take an hour to even reach the door."

"How dare you—" Then the door swung open, and they both froze in place.

Standing there was a vague familiar face, one of the many nurses. But it wasn't them that had the men freeze, but who stood behind the startled figure.

A young woman, who appeared to be in her mid-twenties, stood stiffly in her place. No doubt she was shocked to see one man in the process of dragging out another. Her hair was a pale shade of pink, pastel and cut short with the bangs sweeping gently across the upper part of her forehead, just out of her face. Her attire was simple, a white peacoat over a casual, mint dress that matched her eyes. Not dressed for work, but she didn't seem to be here for an appointment.

"Haruno?" The surgeon questioned, squinting at her. At the sudden question, the woman startled out of her small shock and looked up at the tall man. Inside his head, he mused how so much smaller she was that she had to tilt her head almost all the way back to make eye contact.

"Yes, sir!" Haruno breathed out, her posture straightening.

"You're on time. Good." He grunted, then shoved Sasori into the standstill nurse. "Escort him to where he needs to be."

Sasori was quick to wretch himself away from the nurse, disliking the sudden contact with a stranger. He preened himself, putting his vest and tie back into neat order. Shooting a quick glare at the poor nurse, he proceeded to make his way down the hall with the associate sheepishly following behind.

Watching them disappear down the hallway, Kakuzu sighed and gestured for the remaining woman to follow him inside his office. It seemed like his early morning routine, now. Letting people get into his space. With a faint 'Yes, thank you', she complied and stepped inside the office space. She stood in front of the desk, as though waiting for further instruction, and he slowly blinked. Well, at least she had more manners than the toxicologist.

"Sit." He ordered. She did so.

And they sat across from each other; Kakuzu at his desk and Haruno in the armchair. If it weren't for the pristine setting, one would think he was interrogating the woman. Well, interviews were like an interrogation, wasn't it? And he would be the right man for the job.

"Introduce yourself."

"Yes, sir." She nodded, placing a resume upon his desk and carefully pushing it towards him. It was an unneeded gesture, as he already had the information previously submitted in his hands, but he supposed it was the sort of show most companies required these days. He took the paper in hand and let her speak.

"I'm Haruno Sakura, graduate of Konoha's Medical Education Institute. While I am fresh out of Med. School, I was top of my class and would be more than grateful to be under your guidance."

Sakura was well-spoken, he mused. She must have been raised in a good environment, surrounded by good influence. So far, so good. A curt nod signaled his current approval, which made her shoulders lax just a bit, he noticed.

"You realize you are applying to be my assistant," He stated, leaning on his elbows, fingers interlaced with one another. "Such a position should not be taken lightly, no matter your grades. You will have to steel yourself for seeing the worst of the worst – and handling it with the proper steps and procedures. You lack experience. How are you going to make up for that?"

There was a brief pause, his eyes boring down on the small figure. At first, he thought of ending the interview now. No sense in accepting a fresh sprout. The time it took to train someone, to work through their clumsiness as they tried to fit into the unexpectedly high expectations. He had no patience for that sort of thing. He preferred someone who already knew their stuff, already got their hands bloody. No nonsense, no effort. In and out.

Yet, when those jade eyes dared to meet his own, those thoughts diminished. In them were a fierce fire, a determination. Oh, this one wasn't going to back down. He couldn't tell whether or not if he wanted to stoke that flame, or smother it out.

"With all due respect, sir, I will never gain the experience if no one gives me a chance." She spoke with such sureness in her tone, her expression stern. "And I believe that no one else will be able to mentor me like you can. So, I insist, please allow me to be your assistant."

His lips turned into a frown beneath his mask. What a stubborn one. It was the sort of stubbornness that he could commend her for, however. His eyes glanced down at the information before him.

'_Under the recommendation of Senju Tsunade'…_

A deep sigh left him. How many times did he sigh today? Perhaps one too many by this point, but he couldn't bring himself to give a damn. It seemed that Lady Luck was on Haruno's side. For she was the only eligible candidate in his picky eyes, and he didn't care to continue his search for another assistant. The woman met the qualifications, had good references and, judging from how little they've spoken so far, she had a stable mentality. This was as good as it was ever going to get. He opened the interview packet and brought out a pen.

"Let's get the formality papers out of the way, then." He saw her eyes brighten.

"Then…?"

"Hope you got time to sign until your fingers fall off."

* * *

**Unnecessary Preview:**

"I can't believe I'm agreeing, but you do need to get laid, hm."

"You, shut up."

"Come on, man! You gotta fuck at least once before your dick rots with your personality."

"And you, just get the hell out."

"The fuck – this is a_ public_ club, Stitches."

"Don't care. Out."


	2. Session 2

Here's chapter 2! Thank you all for your interest!

I hope things are going at a good pace~ Let me know what you think!

* * *

It had been two days since then.

There had been no change in his routine. He checked in, he did his work, and he checked out, thinking about the next day before it even began. Like the gear of a clock, he just kept making the same rounds to complete the same task. And he was content with that. There was no need for change. No need for anything different in his schedule.

_In and out._

Those were the words he told himself as he stood before the establishment, the glow of the neon lights reflecting off the puddle's surface and washing over his figure. He looked to the building with distaste. Even with his lower face obscured, passer-bys could easily understand that he was scowling - a man scorned. In his hand was his phone, the screen unlocked and opened to his messages.

'If you want your money back, then come fucking get it!' Just the smiley face alone was enough to give him a migraine.

Steeling himself, he made his way inside.

Music boomed all around him, almost deafening in the way it drummed against the walls and made the very floor quake beneath his feet. He weaved through the crowd; shoving himself pass dancing lovebirds, avoiding the stumbles of drunks, all without his hands leaving his pockets. Soon enough, he found himself towards the edges of the club, where the bar was tucked away from the dance floor. Even before he walked up, there was already two men waiting for him, waving in his direction.

"Took ya long enough, fucker!"

"Trust me, I couldn't wait to be here."

Hidan scoffed, leaning back against the bar. The man was good looking, by bad boy standards, with silver hair slicked back and wearing leather pants with a matching coat. Vaguely, Kakuzu wondered if the guy had enough funds to supply himself a shirt to wear under his coats. Considering how many times Hidan asked him for money, he doubted it.

"Come on, Kakuzu! You gotta get out sometime." His eyes shifted to the blond that sat in the next seat. Long hair, a sweep of it covering one side of his face. Adorning a simple, white shirt with demin jeans – splotches of paint forever staining the fabric here and there.

Deidara was young, but he had a reputation on his belt. That reputation consisted of being the neighborhood Pyrotechnician. No one knew what triggered his love for Fireworks and the explosion of colors they created, and no one questioned anything. It was his art. For all they were concerned, he simply made a business off his Fireworks and didn't mind blowing off some fingers if they tried to pry.

"What I got to do is sit on my damn couch." Kakuzu grumbled, rubbing his forehead. This earned a roll of blue eyes.

"Don't be like that, hm. When was the last time you had a drink?"

"Rum."

"Oh?"

"At home."

"Ah."

"On my couch."

"Why are you like this, hm?"

"Sleep deprivation."

The pyro let out an exasperated sigh, leaning his chin upon an open palm with his other hand held onto a shot glass. He accepted Kakuzu as a close acquaintance, maybe even a friend, but the man was so damn hard to talk with. Deidara may as well be talking to a Magic 8 Ball, if all he was going to get were these curt answers. While the blond may have accepted this, the slam of another's hand against the bar proved otherwise. Both company side-glared at Hidan for the unnecessary action.

"Man, how far is that stick up your ass?" Hidan blurted, eyes narrowed.

Hidan was a special case. Despite how he looked, he was an avid Preacher of religion. Who knew, right? Until one found out the religion consisted of annual sacrifices in order to please some sort of Elder God and obtain immortality. Thus far, no one has seen proof of that invincibility or any signs of sacrificial ceremonies. Still; missing cars by a hair, being one step ahead of a falling piano, dodging a literal bullet by bending over to pick up a dime – it seemed that the Jashinist was just bestowed the gift of dumb luck. And a big mouth, Kakuzu observed as he continued speaking.

"You've been this hardass guy since the day I known ya! Going around with this 'no nonsense' attitude, barely giving anyone any of your fucking time. And you wanna know what I noticed in all these precious goddamn years together?"

"…What."

"I never seen you with a woman! Not even once!"

It was now that Kakuzu began to wonder if it were possible to get away with in the moment murder. He noted how the music drowned out most voices. The dim lighting that made shadows out of everyone. Oh yes, if he wanted to, he could-

"You need to get laid!"

-kill him.

The surgeon pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming back with a vengeance. Slowly, he counted to ten, taking deep breaths. Kakuzu was never a short tempered one. The cold, calmness he kept was what made him his own individual. But, when it came to Hidan and his nonsensical behavior, he found himself reacting violently. Thus, these exercises were needed to keep him from strangling the man to death. See if his dumb luck saved him then.

"Think about it," Great, he had more to say. "All you do all the fucking time is go to work and then sit your ass at home. Fuck, I had to dangle the money I owe you in your face to get you out here! Don't you have some hot nurses at your workplace?"

"Not interested." Kakuzu growled, teeth grinding behind his lips.

"I can't believe I'm agreeing," The blond began, startling when he found hard, green eyes now focused on him. Swallowing, he shook off the shivers and continued. "But you do need to get laid, hm."

"You, shut up."

"Come on, man! You gotta fuck at least once before your dick rots with your personality!"

"And you, just get the hell out."

"The fuck – this is a _public_ club, stitches."

"Don't care. Out."

Hidan threw his arms up in frustration, as though he was the one forced into a noisy, crowded building with the promise of money. Before he could open his mouth, Deidara had cut in. Which was all and well. No doubt the next thing the Jashinist said, no matter what it was, would earn him a punch in the face. Honestly, that was not something he wanted to deal with after Kakuzu stormed off.

"Look, we both agree that Hidan is being ass about this, as he is with everything, hm." An offended grunt. "But all we're saying is that you should try to relax more. Do something different, hm. You're gonna end up exploding if you keep up this routine – no pun intended."

Kakuzu snorted, unable to contain the short breath of laughter. Well, the kid had something good to say every now and again.

Silence had hung in the air, then. As silent as it could be inside a club, anyway. The pair watched Kakuzu, waiting in anticipation as his eyes focused on something in the distance. His expression unreadable. They held their own breaths as he exhaled his own and rubbed the back of his neck in exasperation.

"Fine. Whatever. I'll try… something." He agreed vaguely, making an odd gesture with his hand to emphasis his uncertainty. Judging how their faces broke out in silly grins, it was satisfactory.

"Good man! Let's get fucked!" Hidan cheered, slapping the counter to get the bartender's attention, promptly ordering a round for the three. Kakuzu rolled his eyes and took the empty seat between them.

"Just one glass," He grunted, fingers tugging at the surgical mask. "I have work tomorrow."

"Sure, buddy. No problem!"

* * *

_No problem, my ass._

This is why he didn't go out drinking with those assholes. One of them didn't know when to stop, and the other didn't know how to take a hint when someone wanted to stop. The night ended with Kakuzu having to drag the fully-grown men out of the bar, shove them into an uber, and drag himself back home. With a hazy head and featherlight limbs, he easily fell onto his couch and slipped into unconsciousness.

"…Right?"

Kakuzu blinked back into reality, finding himself in his office. He was slumped in his chair, his temple resting heavily against his knuckles and papers held in his other hand. The contents of those papers, he didn't quite remember. His eyes flickered to them, questioning their existence, and back to the source of the voice.

"What."

"I asked if you were alright, Doctor."

The one who awoke him was none other than Haruno. She no longer donned the casual clothes she wore upon first meeting. Now she was in mint colored scrubs, her short hair pulled back into a small pony tail and a headband to keep her hair in place. Like this, she fell perfectly in line with the dress code. It took another second to register what she said, and he responded curtly.

"I'm fine. Just tired."

He slowly blinked as the women leaned forward, seeming to be peeking beneath his slightly lowered head. They stayed quiet, staring each other down. After ten seconds ticked back, he relented his stoic expression and rose a brow in silent question. She answered.

"Do you have a hangover, sir?"

The slight widening of his eyes seemed to be enough for her and she straightened, clicking her tongue at him. It made his fingers twitch just the slightest.

"You're lucky your appointments today go nothing past follow-ups and information dumps." She said, tapping the end of a pen against her lips in thought. He huffed quietly, directing a glare at her. The gaze didn't seem to have as much an effect like it used to, however, as she simply smiled and offered another folder. It had only been three days, and she was already acting cheeky with him.

"Aren't you showing your true colors too soon?" His voice was gruff as he took the file and began to gander through it.

Haruno then became sheepish, suddenly realizing how she had been acting and who exactly she was talking to. He snorted at this, his fingers flipping through page after page. At least she wasn't insufferable of it. Unlike some of the people he knew.

"My apologies, I spoke out of turn."

"You're fine."

Silence had come between them once again. She shifted uneasily, her body beginning to turn in favor of returning to her idle duties. A rough mutter broke through.

"How did you know?"

"Pardon?" She squeaked.

"How did you know that I had a hangover?"

The woman tilted her head in confusion before her eyes brightened once she realized he was making conversation. When she had first began, their association with one another consisted of silence. The only words exchanged were orders and answers. Supplementing information and taking note of reminders. They have yet to perform a surgery together, but that would come soon enough. As of now, it was just work.

Now he was curious, and she was delighted.

"Doctor Senju drank frequently," She stated, tucking a stray strand behind her ear. "There were times she would come into work with a hangover. At first, it was barely noticeable. But it started to become more and more obvious to me the more I was around her. It felt good to chastise her and have her let Shizune take over."

Kakuzu watched her. Observed how her expression had become soft and wistful as she reminisced of her previous mentor and coworker. How her voice became light and airy, the laughter at her own memory spilling out. That look suited her, he found himself thinking. As quickly as that thought came, he shoved it aside and gave a short, dry laugh.

"Are you going to chastise me as well? I don't recommend it." He warned, gaze narrowing.

"Only if you make a bad habit out of it." A sort of playfulness danced in her eyes, and he entertained it.

He rolled his eyes, sarcasm heavily coating his next words. "Oh, you have my word."

"I'll make you drink plenty of water."

"Terrifying, truly."

"In fact, I'll get us some water now!" The nurse chirped, heading towards the exit.

"I prefer coffee." He grunted.

"Water first, doctor's orders!" She was already halfway outside the door as she called back to him, a bright smile curving her lips. He gave her a look of exasperation, which she quickly closed the door on and went on her merry way. Kakuzu waited, listening as her footsteps became echoes and disappeared. Before he knew it, as he went back to his sorting, there was a smirk curling beneath his mask.

"Brat."

* * *

**Unnecessary Preview:**

"It's good to meet'cha, babe!"

"A pleasure to meet you, too—"

"Don't touch him, Haruno. His stupidity is contagious."

"You fucker."


	3. Session 3

If you're squeamish to even the implication of a surgery, please skip ahead to the **first bolded words**!

Thank you everyone for favoriting and following! And the reviews! I honestly didn't think I'd get any sort of traffic for this pair (even if it's a bit of a slow-burn right now), but I'm happy to see that you're all enjoying what I'm able to provide thus far. I hope you guys stick around until the end!

* * *

_Tick, tock…_

The sound of the clock was distant and muffled. It was during these moments where he lost any sense of time. Where the time on the clock didn't matter, but the delicate situation at hand did. It a quite literal sense, someone else's life was within his grasp, under his mercy.

He stood above the surgical table, where the body of a young man laid. An oxygen mask covered his mouth, regulating the anesthesia that kept him under and blissfully unaware. The rhythmic sounds of the machinery echoed all around the room, relaying to him and those around him of the stability of the situation.

Haruno stood beside him, diligent and at the ready. At first, there was a sort of awkwardness between them as they set about preparations. She set up the equipment in a certain fashion – while still proper, it wasn't to his liking. It wasn't something he had chosen to reprimand her with, however. Something carried over from her previous mentor was logical and it would take more than one surgery to get her used to his own meticulous preferences. It was easy to forget that he was left-handed, after all.

When they had settled and gotten down to business, the awkwardness suddenly vanished. While most would be concerned with the lack of words being exchanged, Kakuzu had found that there were no words needed. The woman knew how to do her job, that was simply it. At first, he had begun to call out the tools he needed only to have said tool promptly at the ready before he finished the first syllable. It didn't take long for the surgeon to pick up on it and, soon enough, all he did was hold out his hand and expect the right tool to he placed in his grasp. Each time, there had been no mistake.

They worked in a comfortable silence, absorbed in the task at hand. Minutes had passed by. Then, those minutes turned into hours. Before he knew it night had fallen, and his eyes strained from becoming dry. A deep breath had left him as he finished the last of the stitching, making sure that it sealed properly, and the knots were nice and tight.

_Another success._

Stepping back, he allowed the others to take over, his fingers carefully peeling off the bloodied gloves and disposing them. He looked down at himself, seeing that his attire was relatively clean. Even so, it had to be set aside properly. His eyes glanced back up to see his team practically fall over in exhaustion after the patient had been rolled out of the room.

Ah, six hours had passed.

"Get a grip. If you're going to pass out, do it in the breakroom." Kakuzu hissed, despite the lightweight feeling of his own legs.

His stride carried him across the floor, only slowing when he approached his assistant. Haruno had already stripped herself of her gloves as well, her hands going back to free her hair from the cap. Her eyes drooped a bit, and she rubbed at them with her wrist. His hand had risen, but only hovered over her back, not touching.

**"Come on, back to the office." He grunted.**

Kakuzu didn't wait for her affirmation, he simply walked ahead and expected her to follow. Soon enough, he heard the smaller steps trot up after him. From the corner of his eye he saw the small woman beside him, her quick steps trying to keep pace with his long ones. With a breath, he slowed himself, so they were walking in a more leisurely fashion. As he looked forward again, he missed the little smile that appeared on her lips.

"It went well." She stated as they neared the office door. At this, he gave a curt nod followed by a shrug.

"You did well." It was spoken as fact, not an opinion. That small difference alone made her smile widen just a bit more. "You did better than I expected, and I don't expect much out of a first time. It helped that our team was competent, and it went without incident."

A part of him, however, was curious. Should there ever be a time where things took an unexpected turn – typically for the worse – how would she face it? When one had another's life in their hands, there was always the lingering risk of losing that life. Being unable to maintain it or put it in jeopardy can be jarring, the aftereffects varying depending on the person's stability. The death of one sometimes weighed more heavily on those who remained. How much would it weigh on her?

"I can see why Tsunade recommended you."

Haruno seemed to be absolutely blooming from the praise. By now, she was unable to contain her wide smiles and the rosy hue of her cheeks. While it contrasted greatly with the shadow of exhaustion around her eyes and how her shoulders slumped, it made him smirk all the same.

As the approached the door, Kakuzu took the lead and opened it. He paused in the doorway, seemed to stare inside in complete silence, then closed it once again. Jade eyes blinked, their owner looking up at her senior in utter confusion. She tilted her head while he tapped his own against the door, his eyes closed. _1… 2… 3…_ A deep breath. He opened the door again.

"What the hell are you doing in my office."

There, sitting oh so innocently on his desk, was Hidan and his infuriating grin. In his hands were one of the many medical books that were kept to the side, one of the pages crinkling easily in his grip. Kakuzu felt his fingers twitch. He was going to have to press those out later.

"You were taking too damn long! So I just came to get your ass myself." Hidan answered, like it was the most obvious thing. The surgeon scowled.

"What was so important that you had to invade my space." Notably, he never asked any questions. He just demanded answers. Behind him, he could hear Haruno shifting, trying to peek around his body to see the unwanted guest. He adjusted himself so that he blocked the whole doorway.

"See for yourself!"

The surgeon's own cellphone was chucked at him, and he caught it with relative ease. With a few swipes, his eyes fell on his recent messages.

'_Meeting.'_

That singular word had Kakuzu clenching his jaw and staring hard at his screen. It had been a while since he, or anyone for that matter, received a text like this. Glancing up at Hidan, he wondered just how many of them were blessed with the same demand. And just how urgent it was that even Hidan saw it fit to come fetch him rather than wait. A deep sound of dissatisfaction rumbled in his chest.

"Haruno." He turned his body so that his gaze fell unto her, and she stiffened from being caught leaning so invasively.

"Yes, sir?" She squeaked.

"We have no other appointments today, correct."

"Ah, yes."

"Good." He nodded. "I have urgent matters to attend to, so I will be leaving first—"

"Who's the broad?"

In an instant, Hidan had shoved himself off the desk and prowled across the room. Before Kakuzu could stop him, he had already been shoved aside to reveal the woman he seemed to hide so desperately. The Jashinist gave her a good once-over, one hand on his hip while the other cupped his chin in mock thought. The thought, if there was one, had been interrupted by a growl.

"She's my assistant." This only elicited a laugh of delight.

"Ha! You mean there's someone who can fucking handle being around your ass? And she's this little thing?" The grin was wide enough to nearly split his face in two. While he was having a good time with this new revelation, being called 'little' didn't seem to sit well with Haruno.

"Excuse me—" She began, her lips set in a frown and her brows furrowed.

"Name's Hidan!" Her eyes narrowed at the interruption, clearly displeased with the obvious disrespect. Judging by the her senior's exasperation, this man just had a taste for simply being rude.

"It's good to meet'cha, babe!" A hand was offered, and she stared at it like it was some of alien creature.

"A pleasure to meet you, too." At this point, Kakuzu had chosen to interject.

"Don't touch him, Haruno. His stupidity is contagious."

The woman simply smiled at him. It was a smile Kakuzu hadn't had the pleasure of seeing yet. The shivers that crawled along his spine told him that he no longer wished to be a witness to it. He watched as she took a hold of Hidan's hand and, slowly, she squeezed. Her grip tightened more and more until a hiss of pain left the Jashinist's mouth and he wretched his hand from her grasp.

"You fucker." Hidan growled, his expression set in a scowl. It was only met by glimmering hues of jade and an innocent smile. Such things made it hard to believe that she was close to nearly breaking a bone or two within a grown man's hand. A snort of muffled laughter had stopped Hidan's rising temper, and curious eyes glanced at the non-chalant surgeon; head turned to the side, a hand over his masked mouth.

"We're going." Kakuzu said abruptly, his tone gruff as he bit back the satisfied laugh that threatened to push past. In a very familiar fashion, his hand grasped the back of Hidan's jacket in a firm hold and he began to - very effortlessly - drag the man down the hall. Haruno could only watch helplessly, brows furrowed as the preacher thrashed around in Kakuzu's grip. The effort bore no fruit.

"Haruno." The woman startled when she was addressed, her eyes snapping back to her senior. He had paused in his step, head slightly turned back towards her.

"Yes, Doctor?" Then there was quiet. It hung in the air and the space around them seemed to still. For however long it was, though it felt like eternity, they simply looked at one another - with the ocassional rustling of Hidan's struggles.

"Goodnight."

Just like that, the surgeon disappeared down the hallway with a man swearing for vengeance. Leaving Haruno doe eyed and perplexed.

* * *

"Any clue what's going on?"

Kakuzu slid his gaze from the window. They had taken Hidan's car, as the surgeon made it habit to simply walk to work. It saved him the frustration of dealing with traffic and it saved on gas and any repairs. The preacher glanced at him from the driver's seat before focusing back on the road. It was ironic, really, that such a reckless man was a diligent driver. Kakuzu shrugged in reply.

"Who knows. There's only so much we could assume from a single word."

"I think shit's gone down."

"What makes you think that."

"You know!" Hidan scoffed, his face contorting into a scowl as he glared at the pavement ahead of them. "If the message was just for you and me, then yeah. All fucking dandy. But, that was for everyone."

"Yes, I've inferred that much. My previous statement remains valid."

"Man, aren't you a doctor? Aren't you supposed to be into the speculating shit?"

"I don't speculate with morons."

With a roll of his eyes, Hidan let the conversation die and set his mind on his driving. Kakuzu sighed and sank back into his seat, glancing out the window once again. Even though he wouldn't admit it outloud, a point had been made. It was rare to be summoned all at once - and without any context. There was certainly some sense of urgency about it.

Not after long, they pulled up into a driveway that led to a two-story home, just behind a few more cars and a motorcycle. It was fairly simple, worn from age and not at all appealing to look at. The paint had cracked, large pieces of the white having peeled off here and there. When they walked on the steps leading to the porch, the wood creaked and bent under their footsteps, ready to give way at any moment. Hidan fished out a key from his pocket and, with a bit of frustration, got the door unlocked and opened.

"Well, looks like the whole damn gang's here!" Hidan exclaimed with a grin as they rounded the corner and entered the living room.

Deidara perched upon the back of the couch, his feet sinking into the cushions. He shot back a wild grin of his own and waved. Beside him was Sasori, who seemed disgruntled to be seated by the blond's legs, but couldn't be bothered to move himself. His eyes glanced up at the newly arrived associates and he graced them with a nod.

There were others that had filled the room; one sat at the other end of the couch, his large figure filling the empty space easily. He offered a toothy smirk, showing off a sharp row of teeth - too sharp to be naturally human - and gave a lazy salute. Behind him, leaned within the shadowed corner, was a younger male. His dark eyes simply blinked at the new company before they averted back to their downcast gaze.

Kakuzu took a seat in the recliner, letting himself sink into the softness of the cushions. Already, he felt exhaustion beginning to settle in his bones. Figures that something like this would happen after a long day. He hardly paid attention to the idle chatter around him, doubting that he would hear anything new. There would be a debate between Deidara and Sasori, a very old and tired debate, on what is the true perfect art form. Quiet mutterings. A whole lot of swearing. He tuned it all out.

It was when two more sets of footsteps entered the room that he became aware once again. A deep voice spoke. Smooth, filled with an unwavering confidence. It was not a voice to defy.

"Let us begin."

* * *

**Unnessecary Preview:**

"Ain't this a bitch of a situation."

"That's putting it rather casually."

"No, it's serious if Hidan does southern on us, hm."

"You're all idiots."


	4. Session 4

I didn't notice that I could actually REPLY to your reviews! I swear that feature wasn't there 10 years ago...

I apologize for not doing replies! I'll try to answer you guys from this point on if you all would like.

This chapter is more plot-based and meeting the rest of the main crew, but do not fear! The romance is coming!

* * *

_Akatsuki._

A group of individuals with incredible talent and incredible influence. It was known that there were nine in total, and unknown if there were more. Rumors of them were passed through hushed whispers and anonymous messages. Some were of curiosity, others were mere jest, while the majority was fear. For the Akatsuki was more than a simple scary story or your run-of-the mill gang.

They were not only the heart of Amegakure. They were the veins. The blood. Every little thing that made the city thrive and flourish. Anything and everything that was within the city limits, they controlled and ruled behind a mask of anonymity. There would be no adversary to speak against them. No law that they could not bend. They were powerful, and they were absolute.

And they gathered in an unimpressive, two-story home.

"You are all here. Excellent."

The one who had spoken was known as Pein. There was no last name, nor any indication that he ever used his true name. None had the courage or the care to question it. He was a tall fellow, well-built but was more lean. A variety of piercings adorned his stoic face, and his bright, ginger hair spiked here and there. At first, a person would think of him as an average, attractive young man. Yet, the longer they were in his presence, the feeling of an abnormality became heavy.

Pein was the leader of Akatsuki.

"What's the special occasion?" The first one to speak was Hidan, unable to contain his curiosity. Undoubtedly, he had voiced the other's thoughts as they all looked up and set their gazes on their leader.

"A rare occurrence, and something to be remedied as soon as possible." Pein answered easily, grey eyes sweeping across the room as its occupants tensed, listening with a bit more intrigue. "It would appear that we have a 'rebellion' on our hands."

At this, an explosion of chatter echoed in the room.

"The fuck? Seriously?"

"Honestly, I didn't think these people had it in them, hm."

"Even a rat bites back, does it not?"

"Hn..."

"What Itachi said."

"They were all content living mundanely, ignorant of us." The rest fell silent as Kakuzu's words cut through the air, his eyes calculating the situation at hand. "There has to be someone pulling their strings."

A smirk had then played on Pein's lips, his eyes glimmering with amusement. It was enough to tell the surgeon everything. That he had been right on the mark. His only regret was that he hadn't bet any money on it.

Taking a step to the side, a woman had come up to take Pein's place. Her hair was black, with a shimmer of deep blue beneath the light. Her skin was fair, making the odd, sunset hues of her eyes stand out. She was beautiful, even breathtaking, but the cold air that seemed to surround her kept friend and foe at bay.

Konan was his right-hand, and she had been so ever since the creation of the Akatsuki. No one knew her origins, or what sort of bond led her to be the assistant of someone like Pein. Then again, no one cared to know. Dabbling into one another's tragic backstories wasn't part of the job description. They just knew that Konan knew how to do her job, and she did it very well.

"We have leads." She began, her voice cold but somehow having a sort of kindness behind it. Such a tone was dangerous. "Orochimaru is the most likely suspect, thus far. Having been apart of us and escaping into obscurity, he very well has the means to turn the tides into his favor. His lackey, Kabuto, is also a skilled information broker. We have no doubts that, with Orochimaru's charisma and Kabuto's info, they'd be able to convince more than a few people."

Kakuzu rubbed at his temple, eyes glancing to his associates. As expected, they all either seemed disgusted or disgruntled by the mention of their former comrade. The surgeon, himself, interacted very little with Orochimaru. The most they've accompanied one another was to recruit Hidan - even then, they hardly talked if ever. The betrayal was expected, the snake too sly for his own good, but still left a foul taste in their mouths.

"There is another." Konan spoke again, regaining their attention. "Uzamaki Minato is also a suspect."

"Why would Konoha care for Ame's business?" The inquiry came from Kisame, his head tilted and arms crossed over his chest.

Kisame was Amegakure's harbormaster. He oversaw the ports, regulating which ships were allowed to dock and which were to sail. No one from the outside was let in without being put through his meticulous procedures. And no one saw what business he had with a few unsavory looking folks. At least, they told themselves they saw nothing.

"Konoha's people have a chivalrous belief system." A smooth, softspoken voice had answered for Konan.

Uchiha Itachi emerged from the shadowed corner, his downcast gaze rising to meet his fellow's. The man was known for many things; a prodigy, the next heir, the chief of police. In very little time, Itachi had passed bar after bar of expectations. For reasons unknown, the young man had left his family in Konoha and pursued a path in Ame. Some believed that he had been recruited, others think he had been forced. Uchiha neither confirmed or denied any of the claims.

"They don't like how we run things. Is that what you're saying?" Kakuzu pressed further, staring at the Uchiha.

"Indeed." And that was the end of that conversation, and Pein began a new one.

"Sasori, present your current findings. I'm sure you had discussed it with Kakuzu before." He ordered, looking to the redhead. The toxicologist nodded and fished out a few pieces of papers from his bag.

"As I had said to Kakuzu," He glanced at the surgeon, who nodded and gestured from him to continue. "The incident with the mistress poisoning her lover was unusual. The evidence, her alibi, her motives... It all screamed for her to be caught as the culprit. For that matter, it was done in a family diner - witnesses were abundant."

"So, what's that gotta do with any of this?" Hidan interjected, earning a glare from the redhead and a hard jab in the rib from Kakuzu.

"The lover wasn't just any man, Hidan. He was one of my puppets, gathering information and reporting anything noteworthy." Sasori continued with a roll of his eyes. "After testing the poison, the results made my conclusion final. The toxin that was used is not something readily available in our region - not without having it smuggled. Why would a mistress go through such tremendous effort to kill her lying lover and still get caught?"

"She didn't." Kakuzu grunted, sinking back into his seat.

"Precisely." A wicked smirk slipped easily into Sasori's expression, and he tossed the papers onto the surface of the coffee table. There, printed next to a bulletin of notes, was a picture. Depicted was a glass bottle, presumably what contained the poison, and printed so finely on the surface was a red cloud with white borders.

Akatsuki.

"Ain't this a bitch of a situation." Sasori rolled his eyes at the Jashinist.

"That's putting it rather casually."

"No, it's serious if Hidan goes southern on us, hm." Deidara halfheartedly defended, gazing hard at the photo presented to them.

"You're all idiots." Kakuzu sighed, rubbing his face. "So, what. Is this some sort of a set-up?"

"Or a calling card." Itachi mused, rubbing his chin.

"The fact of the matter is that the Akatsuki is personally being pointed out to." Pein interjected before the chatter went out of hand. "If people are led to believe that we are carrying out meaningless murders, then a situation will arise."

With a gesture of his hand, Konan readily procured a note book and awaited his orders. "Sasori, I will have you work with Zetsu to ascertain what exactly that toxin is and where it came from. Kisame, you will have to reinforce your proceedings at the ports. Whatever is strict now, make it more so. Nothing gets in or out without you looking at every inch. Itachi, keep an eye on your people. Do not let them pry too much into this business. Deidara, Hidan - you two will be on standby. Be prepared should a complication arise and we are in need of your firepower. Kakuzu, you will be providing Sasori and Zetsu assistance should they require resources from the hospital."

The list of demands were ended along with the final sound of a pen scratching paper. Nothing was to be repeated twice, and did not need to be. Pein had chosen these six for a reason, and he was satisfied with the determination that blazed in their eyes.

"Dismissed."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

They all filed out of the house, one after the other. Pein and Konan were the first to leave, while the others lingered just to catch up on each other's daily lives. If it weren't for the original reason they were there, no one would believe they were anything but normal men.

Kakuzu, at this time, was simply leaned back in the recliner. He didn't engage in conversation as intently as the others, but he did tune in every now and again to make jabs and throw in some sarcastic humor. Most of which were at Hidan's expense. It wasn't until he felt his phone vibrate within his jacket that he was brought back to reality and his fingers procured it. His brows raised.

_'Good evening, Doctor!' _The first line of the message read, making him slowly blink. It was from Haruno.

_'Apologies in advance. I know your personal number is meant for emergencies only. I must be breaking some sort of privacy code, please forgive me!' _A snort left him.

_'I didn't have time to ask you before, since that whole business with that man. You left so suddenly, too! Anyway; would you like to go out for coffee with me sometime? You know, to celebrate our first surgery together?' _It was here that his expression fell completely flat, as though he couldn't believe what he was reading. Even so, he continued.

_'I hope to hear your answer, soon! Have a goodnight.'_

"Holy shit, is someone asking you out?" If it weren't for his self-control, Kakuzu would have jumped onto his feet and sputtered from Hidan's sudden appearance behind him. Instead, he automatically shot up his left fist and smashed it right into the Jashinist's face.

"Ow, fuck! You are!" Hidan cackled, the pain passing quickly. "You fucking are! C'mon out with it, who is it?"

"It's none of your business." Kakuzu growled, reaching his arm out as far as it could go as Hidan tried to make a grab for it. The man squinted, then grinned once he caught a glimpse of the name.

"Haruno? That chick?"

"Haruno?" Sasori parroted. "You mean that girl who applied to be your assistant?"

"Looks like she's wanting to be more than that!" Hidan laughed, finally able to snatch to phone, much to Kakuzu's dismay. Almost immediately, he scampered off and plopped himself right between Deidara and Sasori, showing them the recently received message.

"Oh, come on, hm. Asking a coworker out for coffee is normal, isn't it?" Deidara gave the screen a look, not quite understanding the fuss that their friend was kicking up.

"Think about it, Deidara. This could be the only chance this fucker gets to loosen up!" The Jashinist insisted, his grin widening when he saw four sets of eyes lighten. Looks like the pair weren't the only ones fussing over Kakuzu's stubbornness. "I'm gonna reply to her."

"No, you are not." Kakuzu snarled and made a jump for Hidan, who had just begun typing.

_'Hey, babe! How about we skip coffee and go for a night-' _The Jashinist let out a distressed noise as he felt weight on him, Kakuzu having tackled him with his full body. But, before he could reclaim his phone, it was tossed to Deidara. With the speed of a madman, he deleted Hidan's sentence and attempted to spell out his own.

_'Sure! We'll make sure to have a banging good ti-' _Deidara screeched as the eyes of a predator were set upon him and he fumbled with the phone as he was grabbed by his scarf. It dropped, only to gracefully land in the hands of Sasori.

_'The pleasure would be all mine, little girl-' _Before the redhead could continue, he found a pyrotechnician being tossed his way. Instinctively, he chucked away the phone and held out his arms in order to cushion himself from Deidara's flying weight. The device had ended up in Kisame's hand, who caught it with natural ease in fear of his associate's personal belongings breaking. He looked at the screen, then at the scowling Kakuzu.

"Nope." Then promptly tossed it to Itachi.

_'Good evening, Haruno. Thank you for your offer. We may discuss it upon our next meeting, if you would like. Rest Well.' _The Uchiha calmly tapped the 'send' button.

The room had fallen silent, different sets of eyes staring at the Uchiha in wonder. Out of everything, the man was least expected to play as a wing-man. Yet, here he was, returning the phone to Kakuzu's hand. At this point, Hidan snapped out of his baffled state and blurted out a question that swam through everyone's heads.

"Why the fuck didn't you pounce Uchiha?" Kakuzu heaved a slow sigh when heads turn towards him for answered.

"Have you seen him fight? The man's a goddamn feral weasel."

Itachi chuckled.

* * *

**Unnecessary**** Preview:**

"Are you out on your date, hm?"

"It's not a date."

"And that's not her scarf around your neck."


	5. Session 5

This is a Soft chapter ~ For those of you that need a little sweetness in your life.

* * *

The night had passed over quickly.

The group had gone their separate ways and, soon enough, Kakuzu found himself back at his apartment. It was a moderate size, a simple one bedroom. The decor was rather minimalist, only having the bare essentials and a few items of self-indulgence. He never entertained the idea of having any more than he needed. And it wasn't as though he had the time to play around his own home.

With a heavy sigh he dropped himself into the cushion of the couch, he head leaned back, face towards the ceiling. There was a lot of information the absorb. The meeting of the Akatsuki. The uprising of one side or another. Then, the messages... His eyes flickered back to the screen of his phone, looking at the last message he received from Haruno.

_'Of course, I look forward to it!'_

His gaze lingered before he let the device dim, his eyes closing - a light sting from dryness and exhaustion. Honestly, he didn't know if he was up for the task, interacting with Haruno outside of the workplace. If it weren't for the Uchiha's reply, he would have rejected the offer.

Wouldn't he?

As soon as the thought invaded, he shook his head as though to brush it away. Whatever the case, there was nothing to do about it now.

"It's just for coffee..." He grumbled to himself, a rough reminder. One that he desperately needed more than anyone.

The next day had come far too quickly for his liking. There had been an aching awkwardness in his chest, twitching his fingers and threatening to disturb his stoic expression. His routine had been normal, thus far. He woke up, got to work, clocked in and sat at his desk. There was one patient, and then a second - questions, answers and check-ups, all with Haruno's little assistance. The day was going by like clockwork and, for once, something about it bothered him.

Surely Haruno would bring up her offer at some point, would she not? He had expected her to inquire the moment they walked side-by-side. Yet, there had been nothing. No mention of coffee. No apologies for her sudden messages. Just reciting paperwork and recent developments.

Now, he waited with a paper held in his hand. His thumb had rubbed against the paper over and over, not very conscious of what he was doing. The action worried the material, making it dull and rough. It wasn't until there was a little tap upon his desk that he was brought back to full-attention. When he looked up, he saw a smiling Haruno.

"It's time for our lunch break, doctor." She gently reminded.

"Ah, yeah." A gruff mutter left him, his body moving into a stand. "You can go."

But she didn't. While she did walk away from the desk, she stopped by the door and turned towards him, standing their patiently. Taking note of this, he slowly blinked and crossed his arms over his check, raising a brow in silent inquiry. Her smile only widened and she freed her hair from its short bun.

"Would you like to go get coffee with me?"

Then, something had clicked inside him and he quietly berated himself for overlooking the obvious. They worked early hours, in the dead of the morning, so there would be no coffee shops or anything alike even open. By the time they got off work, they'd be going their separate ways, too worn down from exhaustion. Of course she would wait until their lunch break, where they would mutually have the time for one another. He hid his thoughts behind a rough cough.

"Yes, of course. Lead the way, Haruno." There was no going back now.

The woman beamed, quickly taking her peacoat from the coat rack and slipping it on to hide most of her attire, then wrapping a white scarf around her neck. As he walked up to her side, he fought back a smirk as he watched her clumsily try to fix her hair. Walking ahead first, his hand tussled the pink locks all over again as he walked passed. He was rewarded with an indignant huff and a good jab to the back, which elicited a grunt from him.

They walked together in the same, comfortable silence that he had become accustomed to. This time, however, it was him that followed her lead. Due to their difference in strides, he had to dramatically pace himself so she wouldn't have to be trotting everywhere. At first, it irritated him. If he wanted to get somewhere, he wanted to get there quickly and promptly. But, he soon he found that he didn't mind this more leisurely way of taking things. If it had been anyone else but Haruno, however... It was a curious thought to add to his other wonders.

"So, where are you taking me, Haru-" He stopped when he found a finger shoved at his face, his eyes staring down at the woman with slight bewilderment. Now, they were outside the hospital, walking the street.

"None of that 'Haruno' business," She said. It was not a request. "When we're not inside the hospital, it's okay to call me Sakura."

Moments had passed. Kakuzu didn't pay any mind on whether they were long or short, for all he did was simply stare at the woman with an unreadable expression. When there was nothing more to say, he slowly breathed in and began in a steady tone.

"Haruno-"

"I don't know who that is."

His expression fell flat, and it met with Haruno's determined eyes. People were beginning to walk paths around them, like they were rocks in a river, and he didn't find the idea of wasting his lunch on this matter too appealing. Finally, his shoulders slacked and he relented.

"Sakura."

He watched as she began to absolutely glow with satisfaction, pleased with this small little victory. No sooner did she give his sleeve a tug and urged him to follow her once again.

"There's this little cafe that opened up just down the street! Family owned, I think. It looked so adorable, and I want to try it."

"Ah, so you're bringing me to experiment." He snorted, looking ahead. A huff left him when he felt a slight push to his arm.

"No, I invited you to experience it with me! If it turns out to be good, we can make it a routine."

It was then that his step had faltered before he caught himself, his eyes darting to Sakura before the looked forward again.

"...That would be a waste of personal funds. To buy lunch everyday." He carefully added in. The feeling of uncertainty swam in his chest. A sickening feeling, not to be confident in your thoughts. It was quickly shaken off when he heard her chuckle beside him.

"If you're so worried about that, then I'll pay for your portions."

"No, I can pay for my portions."

"Then, it will be a routine?" She grinned.

_Damn, she got him._

"...We'll see how good it is, first."

The cafe was quite simple, having a homely aesthetic. There were still a few boxes here and there, evidence of an all too recent opening. There was a moderate amount of customers, but it was quiet and calm. So far, it was something that Kakuzu could get used to.

They made their orders at the register, taking their numbers back to a table nearest to the window. There had hardly been any conversation, but it wasn't awkward. When there was something to be said, they simply said it. If they were to fall quiet, it was to gaze outside the open window until one or the other pointed at something perculiar or something to giggle at.

"Yes! Give him a good beating!" Sakura cheered as she watched a young woman beat a man down with her umbrella. A small crowd had gathered, but none moved in to offer assistance. Whatever the stranger did, it seemed he deserved it.

"Moron. If you're going to go purse snatching, at least be smarter with your targets." The surgeon grunted, watching with a bored gaze. A snort left his lunch companion and he grunted from a kick to his ankle.

"Excuse me... Your orders..." A timid voice had called out to them.

When they looked up, they were met with a young man no younger than eight-teen. He was small and lanky, the waiter's attire looking a little too big for him. While he had a kind face, it was twisted in worry and nervousness, and the tray he held was trembling like a quake rumbled beneath his feet. Sakura had given him a kind smile, reassuring, yet it did nothing to relieve his anxiety as Kakuzu stared at him with a waiting gaze.

"Your crepe, strawberry rose tea." The waiter listed as his trembling hands settled the dishware onto the table. It was slow, but they both waited patiently. "And your coffee - ah!"

But Kakuzu's patience was wearing quite thin. For reasons unknown, perhaps the gods that scowled at him thanks to Hidan, the force of gravity decided the weight of the coffee cup was too much for the kid and splashes of hot coffee met with his face. While a normal person may have cried in pain, held their face in despair, the surgeon simply sat there with his arms crossed, left eye twitching. Inhale, exhale.

"Scram." The boy scurried away immediately.

An exasperated breath left Kakuzu as his eyes scanned the establishment. Restrooms closed. Great. With a roll of his eyes, he felt over the mask that covered the lower portion of his face. It was completely soaked and still holding heat. From his peripheral, he could see movement. Sakura scooted over with her chair and sat directly beside him, chair facing his way, brows furrowed in concern.

"Are you alright?" She asked quietly, her hands hovering in the air, unsure on whether or not to do anything. He simply held up a hand to reject the help and went about doing things himself.

"I'm fine." He muttered, his fingers pulling at the strings of the mask and removing it from his face. His lips twisted into a deep frown when the cool breeze touched his skin, and he went about to dabbing the extra moisture from his face with a napkin. He didn't need to look to know people were staring. He could practically feel it.

Why wouldn't they stare, anyhow? Not everyday did they see a man with such visible scars - especially the ones he sported. Starting from both corners of his mouth were long slashes that ended just at the bottom of his ears. There were smaller scars that marred those lines, seeming to be the product of badly sewn stitches. On his tanned skin, the paleness of the old wounds were a great contrast and made them stand out all the more. While he did not care for the strangers that turned their heads and whispered among themselves, his eyes did fall upon the one who accompanied him.

She still looked at him with worry.

"I said, I'm fine." Kakuzu reassured once again, giving her forehead a tap with his knuckles. She made a face at this, shooting him a half-hearted glare as he managed out a chuckle. "I'm more upset that he ran away with my bagel."

"You scared him away." Sakura laughed quietly, her posture becoming relaxed once again.

"They shouldn't have a new kid handling busy hours." He snorted, dumping the napkin back onto the table once his face was dry. His fingers did rub at his cheeks and mouth, however. He felt odd without his mask, like he was bare, and it seemed Sakura took notice of this rather quickly.

"Come here." She gently ordered and, without even waiting for compliance, she tugged him forward by the shoulders. His brows raised, and the nurse couldn't help but giggle at how more expressive he seemed without his face being obscured. Frowning at this, he questioned her.

"What."

"Just hold on."

Kakuzu watched as she removed the scarf from her neck and nearly flinched away when she reached out with it, but forced himself to still. As a man who liked his personal space, he was allowing Sakura to cross hundreds of boundaries. Why did he allow it? What was making him to complacent? There were questions that swam through his head that he couldn't answer. They soon faded as he felt cloth press against his face.

Suddenly, he had become aware of what Sakura was doing. She pressed the edge of the scarf against the bridge of his nose and pulled the fabric towards the back of his head, tying it there. Making sure that it was nice and snug, not too tight to hurt but tight enough to stay on, she wrapped the excess cloth around his neck and over his shoulders.

"There!" She chirped, satisfied with her work. "It's nothing like a surgical mask, but it should do until we get back to the hospital."

The surgeon had found himself speechless. His mind had blanked, unable to register what had happened and what Sakura had done for him. He could have lived with the stares, waited until his mask dried. Kakuzu had been numb to what others thought and feared for years, and he wasn't going to stop just because of clumsy fingers and hot coffee. What she had done was unnecessary. There was no benefit in it for her. And there was no downside for him.

"Thank you, Sakura." Still, he couldn't deny that small warmth he felt.

Sakura smiled and stood from her seat. She hadn't touched her crepe and tea yet, but she was already grabbing her purse and sliding back on her peacoat. Making sure she was all set, she grabbed the crepe and the cup of tea.

"I'll get our orders to-go and we can finish up in the office." She said, turning and leaving for the register before he could say anything. The doctor could do nothing more than stare after her.

"Are you out on your date, hm?"

Kakuzu whipped his head around to find the blond on the other side of the window, leaning against its' sill. Deidara was looking at him with curious blue eyes, looking oh so fucking innocent. _When the hell did he get there, anyway?_

"It's not a date."

"And that's not her scarf around your neck."

Kakuzu scoffed and proceeded to shove the dampened napkin into the pyro's face, a muffled sound of disgust leaving the younger man. With some effort, because damn was Kakuzu unexpectedly strong, he managed to push away the offending hand. Once his face was free, he shot the man a glare. The pout that came with it had tremendously watered down the anger.

"Look, I know I'm as asshole, but I'm not making fun of you, hm." Deidara grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. A soft sigh left the surgeon and he muttered under his breath.

"I know."

Deidara was the youngest of the Akatsuki. While he was skilled, and quite capable, he still had the naivety and inexperience of a youth. But, that also meant some parts of his heart was still soft, and that softness was specifically aimed towards those he considered his comrades. In a way, they had all become a second family to the blond. It was because of this, no matter how irritated he could be, Kakuzu seemed to let him off a lot lighter than the others. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Deidara beam from the acknowledge meant, his gloved hand reaching through the window to pat his senior's shoulder.

"I'm just glad you're doing something different! Life's boring if you don't add a little spark in it, hm." Kakuzu rolled his eyes as Deidara nodded at his own sage advice.

"Don't you have somewhere you gotta be?" There was a gasp. Bulls-eye.

"Shit, yeah. I was making a drop." Deidara looked at the time on his phone and quietly cursed at himself before throwing the large hood back over his head. He leaned over and came back up with a suitcase in hand. Kakuzu eyeballed it, then back at the blond. He didn't need to ask what was inside it.

"Go on. Before Sasori gives you shit about being late again." He said, his eyes glancing back to the counter, watching Sakura happily receive the boxed up goods.

"Yeah, yeah. He's always got something to complain about, hm." The blond mumbled as he began to walk away. Just before he disappeared behind the wall, he flashed another grin. "Didn't know you were the 'cute' type."

"Deida-"

"Are you ready?"

Kakuzu averted his attention when he was addressed, finding his assistant standing beside him with a few bags of take-out boxes. His eyes flickered back to the window, finding Deidara already long gone. An exhale left him and he gathered his belongings before standing at full height, easily towering the woman.

"Let's head back."

Leaving the cafe, they made their way down the street. Sakura had fished her crepe from her own box - having it rounded into a cone and wrapped in paper - and greedily munched on it. The little inconvenience had cut their lunch time drastically, so she was desperate to finish off the creamy treat before they stepped foot within the office. Kakuzu didn't seem too concerned with his own food, only sipping on his coffee every now and again. But, he did notice the little glances sent his way in between bites. When the crepe had been devoured and gone, the question he had been anticipating finally arose.

"So, was that blond man a friend of yours?"

"Yeah. He's in the same circle as me and Hidan." He answered. That was more or less true. Didn't need to spill to the world that he was a part of an underground organization that controlled the workings of the city from the shadows. Sakura made a face at the mention of Hidan. Fair enough, really.

"You have colorful friends, if you don't mind me saying." She smiled before tasting her own drink.

"I don't. They're a bunch of idiots." The absolute sincerity of the statement caused a bubble of laughter to spill from her. It almost startled him, his eyes wide and almost concerned for her well-being.

"It sounds like the relationship with my friends back in Konoha." Sakura clarified, a wide smile on her lips. "I hope to see more of your friends."

"No, you don't." She blinked at the quick response, trailing after him as they re-entered the hospital and made a bee-line for the office. After that, silence had hung over them once again. Only, there was a subtle tension that lingered. In the back of her mind, she worried if she had pried a little too much into the doctor's private life. Before she had applied, she heard rumors of him; his coldness, how he kept to himself. Hardly anyone knew who he was outside of his work. Perhaps she got too comfortable too soon.

Sakura sighed as she hung up her peacoat and tied back her hair, preparing herself to get back to the grind. She checked the time - ten minutes until their next appointment. At this time, she should go meet with the patient and escort them. She was about to do just that until Kakuzu's voice had stopped her.

"Sakura." She paused and turned to face him, her eyes wide and curious.

"Next time, I'd prefer to order to-go."

Moments ticked by, her brain registering what was just said. Kakuzu waited patiently, his gaze settling on her face, watching as an array of expressions passed over it. A small snort of amusement left him. Suddenly, her face broke out into a dazzling grin.

"It's 'Haruno' when we're inside the hospital, Doctor."

Brat.

* * *

**Unnessecary Preview:**

"Fuck - those bastards actually shot at me!"

"I don't know what you expected."

"Maybe a friendly fucking game of paintball."

"Gods, I hope you are being sarcastic."

"Of course, I am! I ain't that much of a shitbrain!"

"You really make me wonder, sometimes."


End file.
